Rennie Grove Hospice wants YOU to help fill nursing position

Following a successful appeal for donations to fund an additional hospice at home nurse, Rennie Grove Hospice Care is now asking the general public to help find the perfect nurse to fill that vacancy.

Rennie Grove uses traditional methods to recruit its 70-strong nursing workforce but is keen to enlist the help of the general public to spread the word, not just about this newly-created role but also its ongoing clinical vacancies.

Director of Nursing Sue Varvel explained: “The local community has been so supportive is spreading the word about and donating to our latest fundraising appeal that it makes sense to enlist their help again so we can invest the funds in the best possible candidate.”

For the first time ever, Rennie Grove experimented with a digital element to its latest fundraising appeal, launching a 2-minute video on its social media platforms to complement a letter written to thousands of its generous supporters. Entitled ‘Desperately Seeking Sam’ the campaign was designed to raise awareness of the work that Rennie Grove’s nurses carry out in patients’ homes in order to give those with cancer and other life-limiting illness the choice to be cared for at home.

Now the charity has the means to pay for ‘Sam’ they need to find him or her. Sue adds: “A Rennie Grove nurse is a kind-hearted person who goes the extra mile to ensure patients have the best possible quality of life up to and during their final days. She or he will be a practical and steady person who stays strong for the patient, their family and friends. Historically we have sought nurses with experience either in palliative care or community nursing. We still need to recruit nurses from these backgrounds, but in response to the national shortage of nurses and the growing demand for our service, we are also welcoming newly-qualified nurses (NQNs) as part of our ‘preceptorship’ scheme.

“If you know someone with the relevant experience and characteristics, please encourage them to get in touch,” Sue urged. “As an employer we have a great deal to offer in terms of job satisfaction and personal development. You’ll have the time to give the care you were trained to give and you’ll be making a huge difference to people at what is probably the hardest point in their lives.”

Rennie Grove is seeking nurses with a range of experience, from NQNs to Band 5 nurses in Bucks, band 6 nurses in Herts, a Band 7 nurse in its children’s nursing team and bank nurses across its whole catchment. For details visit www.renniegrove.org/jobs or call 01494 877200.